Gateway FX benzel

Does anyone know where I can get a benzel for the P-FX series? The one on my 172X FX is for the slot loader and doesn't fit the blu ray drive that I got, and the one on the blu ray drive doesn't completely cover the drive bay. Where can I find a benzel for a tray-loading FX?

 

You're not necessarily going to be able to find a bezel. Since different drive manufacturers will have different bezels, unless the Blu-Ray drive you got is specific to the laptop you got (meaning Gateway uses this exact Blu-Ray drive) you will likely NOT be able to get a perfect match for the bezel.

 

True, but on this guide the picture looks like the standard bezel fits quite nicely.

 

Right... there IS NO SUCH THING AS A STANDARD SLIM OPTICAL DRIVE BEZEL.
He got lucky that the bezels were compatible, if your bezel can do that... do it.
If not, you won't be able to get a bezel that will work.

 

Keep in mind the bezel is probably unique to Gateway FX series lappys (unless other Gateways use the same shape). Therefore, you will either need to order it from Gateway or find a dead/broken laptop for sale with the bezel intact.

Then you have to worry if it will fit your Blu-Ray drive because (as mentioned above) not all slim drives use the same bezel mounting system. So far people have used either a Sony/NEC Optiarc drive (same brand as the original) or have gotten lucky (ie: Panasonic and H/L Blu-Ray).

YMMV (thanx catttman!)

 

Mine did fit on my bluray H+L DATA STORAGE Model:HL BDDVDRW CT10N looks 100% factorie look

 

I think one of us doesn't understand what the other is saying. In the guide that I linked to, the guy used a Sony 5500A with a P-6831 FX and the drive fit his bezel. I bought a Sony 5500A and now I'm asking where I can get a P-6831/171XL bezel... are you saying that each batch of 6831s produced has a different bezel? Because that wouldn't make very much sense...

 

Didn't they take the bezel from the drive they removed and put it on the Blu-Ray drive?

Or did I read it wrong.

 

The guy in that guide removed the bezel from the old drive...
You will need to do this. It obviously will fit if it worked for him.

What I am saying is every optical drive has a different type of system for mounting the bezel. You have to either use the same type of optical drive as Gateway originally used, or get lucky. I am not sure which of those categories the Sony 5500A fits into, but either way.. there's your solution. You carefully remove it from the old optical.

 

Right... that's exactly what I'm saying. My P-172 has a slot loading optical drive, and has a different bezel opening than the P-6831 or any of the other tray loaders on the FX chassis. Therefore, swapping out the bezel on my blue ray drive and the OD that came with the laptop won't work. That's why I'm looking for a P-6831 bezel. I know it's compatible with my setup because I have the same laptop chassis and same blue ray drive as the guy who made the guide.

 

In that guide, he is using a BC-5500A, which is a try loading drive. He says that the BC-5600S is a slot loading drive that also uses the SATA interface. He mentions the Sony 5600A and other drives because they use a SATA interface, and almost all laptops use PATA interfaces on optical drives (the transition is coming much more slowly than that of hard drives). That does not mean that you will necessarily be able to swap the bezel. I am willing to bet if you recheck yourself, you have a BC-5600S not a BC-5500A. You can find out for certain by going to device manager and looking at the name of the drive. If this is correct then answer this question:
Does gateway sell a P-172 (or a model with the same bezel type) with a slot loading optical drive?
If no, that's it. You either make your own bezel by cutting a slot in the old bezel, or you don't replace the bezel. That simple.

 

. I hope there's no animosity here. I really just think we're completely blowing by one another's heads. P-172 X FX was one of the last FXs released with the Santa Rosa Chipset, which uses the PATA interface for its optical drive. This review mentions that it comes with a trayless, slot loading drive. I bought the BC-5500A to use especially because it still has the PATA interface that's compatible with my chipset. I received it, and the model number on the drive is indeed 5500A. However, because the optical drive that came stock with my laptop is a slot loader, the bezel won't fit the blu ray drive like it did with the 6831 FX, which comes with a tray-loading OD, in the guide. Since I'm 99% sure that the one difference between the 6831 and 172X chassis is the bezel, I posted here to ask if there's any place I can get a 6831 bezel, since I don't know if Gateway will sell me one individually. That's all I came here to ask.

 

I need to pay more attention, sorry for that. I read the first post early in the day, come back and read more posts, and sometimes forget the original question. I went back and re-read it, and sure enough, I was under the incorrect impression for this reason that you had replaced a tray load drive with a slot loading one, and were now looking for a replacement.

Regardless of that, the story is the same. I think you will have great difficulty finding the bezel - I am not sure if GW offers refurbished parts or not, but I think the only option you will likely face will be to find the cheapest drive you can with the bezel attached and use that.

Though... slot loading drives can be considered a commodity. Offer in the Marketplace a trade - your DVD+/-RW slot loading drive for their DVD+/-RW tray loading drive. Even trade.

Lots of 6831 owners here who will likely snatch that up.

 

Thanks for your help, Hep!. I'd prefer to hang on to my original drive in case Gateway decides to be stingy with their warranty; however, if I can't find a bezel somewhere else, I may end up taking your advice. I definitely can't leave it without a bezel; there's a gap on the side of the drive that's big enough for dust and even bugs to enter the chassis. Thanks!

 

Check here off and on they have different stuff all the time. You could also try emailing them.

http://www.laptoprepairparts.com/html/gateway.htm

Or

http://www.mundocorp.com/

 

This is to Danja

Im the Guy that made this Guide

Its for tray loading optical blu-ray
Took the bezel from old drive and placed on Blu-ray

And yes i got really Lucky on the bezel compatibility

 

Very Good

 

I just put in the blu ray drive to make sure it worked properly... it seems to work ok. Is it safe to use the drive without a bezel for now? I know it's not too good for the computer to leave gaps there where something can get it, but is it ok as far as personal safety goes? A little plastic probably won't do much as far as protection from radiation from the laser, but I figured I'd check to make sure...

 

It's safe.

Also I doubt Gateway will make a big deal about warranty if you sent the laptop in for repairs with no optical drive.

 

Heck, if you still have the original, just put it back in if you need warranty service.

 

My post was actually in regard to him getting rid of the original.

 

Oops.

Sorry.

 

Argh, this is getting ridiculous.

I contacted Gateway, Mundocorp, and the first 5 online parts stores that I could find and none of them had the bezel available. Furthermore, I called Gateway to confirm that swapping the drives wouldn't affect the warranty on the rest of the laptop and was told that if I had to send it in for repair, I would have to send the original drive with it, so trading isn't not an option either.

I know I'm grasping at straws here, but does anyone have any suggestions? Or will I have to shell out for a brand new optical drive just to have a bezel?

 

Post removed. I'm obviously blind and can't tell which bezel fits the FX lappys...

Move along, nothing to see here..